goodbye summer, hello fall

We've had the best weather lately and it's all due to the seasonal change. While I am sad to see summer come to an end for many reasons, I am thrilled to see a new season roll into my life. Most people dream of a place where it is endless summer. We loved living in California and Hawaii, but paradise is nothing compared to a crisp Fall day after the heat of a Southern Summer has passed away. Everyone is in a good mood, people come out to play, and the shadows are long. The kids had a blast playing together this afternoon. Grace is big on her baby stroller right now and prefers ponytails to pretty bows. William is still a speed machine, but now stops to analyze an ant path along the way or bother his sisters. Jordan is introspective and happy when given a blank slate of time and sidewalk. I loved the cooperation that occurred when they decided to trace William's shadow.





Wednesday means t-ball for Will and drama club for Jordan - but today they just played. Hello Fall.

thought process of a toddler

Grace noticed that we had dirty feet after being outside barefoot on Saturday for a few moments. (Gasp!) I mentioned that we would clean them off later, then went onto my next chore. About 15 minutes later I am upstairs checking on the progress as Jordan searches for her volleyball kneepads and I hear:

"Momma? I all clean now!"

I walk down the hallway to my room and see my little kiddo standing there so proudly. Uh oh, I think to myself.

Sniff. What's that smell? Blueberry? Oh no that is William's shampoo! (Still thinking to myself here.)

"My feet ALL CLEAN Momma! Hands, too!" Notice child has only diaper on and has removed shirt and shorts.

Uh, the carpet has just been cleaned a mere two weeks...what in the world will I find here?"

"Hi Grace. Whatcha been doing?"

"I all clean in the shower." We walk to the master shower. I see blue soap all over the floor of the shower. Breathe sigh of relief and wash Grace's blue parts off.

Sniff. Smell current diaper offerings. Not so clean anymore.

NOTE TO SELF: Never use the word "later" loosely around a toddler.

friday, a good thing

What is it about a Friday? I don't work outside the home and yet I can hardly wait for Friday to get here. It means a release from our weekly schedule and a chance to relax. Of course, some weekends are actually crazier than the weeks. For once the only thing on our schedule was two official events -- tonight's Girl Scout meeting and tomorrow's volleyball scrimage. We are still trying to get all the little things resolved in the girl's room. I took a good stab at the bathroom situation today and tried to get all dangerous things out of the way. Dave plans to put totlocs on those cabinets soon. I did try to put Grace down for her first nap in the room on Wednesday with little success. I think we were past the target time and everything is new to her. She was so excited that she couldn't stop talking and settle down. This is a big leap for a little girl.

Dave leaves for a business trip on Sunday night so I will be a two handed woman with three children. Thankfully Dave has been a laundry angel. Since getting us caught up a few weeks ago he has made it his mission to keep the loads caught up. What I don't finish during the day's distractions he runs through in the morning. What a great thing to make a mission! I am so thankful that even during a crazy work week Dave has made time to spend with each child. I don't say it often enough, but I am grateful for my husband.

Let me leave you with my current pet peeve (that Ann, what an optomistic person she is...) and it completely drives me bonkers with all the incidences of this I see in local traffic. I hate it when people take the "cause ribbons" and turn them sideways.

Yellow ribbons (and other cause ribbons) are normally worn on your clothing upright with the loop at the top. Why don't people leave them that way on the cars? It just bugs the graphic designer in me. I'm all for readability, but I don't really care about it on those ribbons. Their color and design alone -- without words -- should be enough to represent an icon in our brain. And while searching for the photo I found out that there are ribbons for ABSOLUTELY EVERY CAUSE you can imagine. Even ones that encourage golf playing by husbands. There's a cause most husbands would get behind, right?

Have a good weekend!

Martha would be proud

Domestic I am not. In fact, I'm pretty sure my husband is more domestic than me. I like to have a collection of favorite recipes and tricks for cooking when mealtime in imminent. On most days the grill is my best friend. Last night I decided to grill some shrimp -- it's always good, fast, and popular at my house. Once skewered and seasoned, it literally takes 6 minutes to be on the table. I had some tomatoes ready to slice so I knew I could manage the dinner hour...but what to make as the real side dish? I had just seen an article in Southern Living on easy side dishes so I actually put the idea to work as more than reading material. I purchased an acorn squash at the grocery store on Sunday because they were so pretty. I substituted it for the recipe below and it is a new addition to my standard everyday favorites.

Dave came into the kitchen while I was working on peeling and cutting the squash and I could tell he had that "she's going to make an unwieldy squash monstrosity for dinner" look on his face. (To his credit he did lend a hand helping peel the thing.) With Fall in the air (HOORAY!) I cannot recommend this recipe enough. It is possible to substitute within the recipe -- I used acorn squash instead of butternut and toasted almonds instead of pecans -- but the balance of sweet and savory is perfect. The kids even liked it and best of all, it is easy.

Glazed Butternut Squash
From Southen Living (October, 2006)
Prep: 15 min., Cook: 30 min.

3 pounds butternut squash, peeled*
1/2 cup apple cider*
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 tsp. dried sage

1. Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove and discard seeds. Cut each half into 4 wedges; cut wedges into 2-inch pieces.

2. Stir together squash, 1/2 cup apple cider, and next 5 ingredients in a 12-inch, deep-sided, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer, gently stirring occasionally, 25 minutes. Uncover and cook 5 minutes or until liquid thickens and squash is tender. Gently stir in pecans and sage until well combined.

*3 lb. sweet potatoes may be substituted for butternut squash and 1/2 cup apple juice may be substituted for apple cider.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

the time has come

Yes my friends, the time has arrived. We've been quite busy setting up Grace in her big girl bed this weekend. After much debate we decide to let Grace share a room with Jordan and both girls seem to be thrilled about the idea. There are other bedrooms available in the house, but no more on the second floor near the master bedroom. At least while the kids are young we are trying this arrangement. Little kids always come immediately to their parent's side when sick and we didn't want anyone to be on the first floor trying to find us in the middle of the night. Besides, that would mean we have to trust them. ;-)

We are still trying to get the final details organized, but there are now two beds in place and the furniture has been moved around in a new configuration. We went to IKEA this weekend and purchased a small junior sized bed which will be safer for Grace. It is much larger than a crib, but not quite as big as a twin. The best part is that there is a built in bedrail and we don't have to push it against a wall to be safe. We let the girls pick out the duvet covers while at the store so they would match. Jordan ended up finding a lively pink polka dot pattern which is very pleasant. It works well with the existing wall color and will lend itself to the Hawaiian theme I am planning for the room. William ended up getting a new duvet cover also while we were there. He's been such a good sport by waiting to have his room painted that we didn't mind splurging to make him excited about his room. Nothing at IKEA is outrageously priced. Dave and I have quite a few projects ahead of us.

For the moment Grace has continued to sleep in her crib until we can get all the big girl hazards up and out of the way. You know a toddler is bound to wander and I don't want her taking shampoo or lip gloss around the house for fun at 2 am. We are now trying to work out a way to fit all the girl's stuff in without looking cluttered. Jordan has been keeping her room perfectly clean since school started (motivated by her allowance money) so I felt bad rearranging the whole room...thankfully she is excited about the whole arrangement. Jordan went to sit on Grace's bed this afternoon and Grace made it clear that it was her territory. As soon as Jordan eased herself into a sitting position Grace pointed a finger at her and said, "No Mam!" Jordan quickly mentioned reading a book Grace eased her stance and cuddled up beside her.

Jordan had one of the largest bedrooms in the house. In addition to the basic bedroom space there is an unfinished alcove area under the eaves of the room which is accessable via a door. Eventually we'll get some kind of finished hideaway in there. There is plenty of room for a desk area, shelves, and a sitting area or built in bed for guests.

Saturday almost killed Dave and I. We started with t-ball, ate lunch, and then split up to carry kids to birthday parties and volleyball games. After that we did the final IKEA run. We were literally hobbling into the house after all that was over. Dave's back and my feet have barely recovered...and I don't want to hear any jokes about us getting old. Have you tried to keep up with three children for a day. Oh yeah, most of you are my friends which means you have tried that workout. Oh well, you know what I mean about busy Saturdays. Motrin has been our best friend lately.

this creature graced my butterfly bush today

 25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]?

 28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:25-34 NIV

you are never forgotten, my friend

One person comes to our mind when we think of September 11, 2001. Dave's roommate and Department Head aboard the USS Richmond K. Turner, CG-20 in the early 1990s was Robert E. Dolan. He was special both professionally and in his personal life. It was our honor to know him. Please take a moment to think about his family and the loss of a special life on this five year anniversary of the terrorist attack.

Legacy.com profile

Article by the worker who recovered Captain Dolan's USNA Class Ring

Transcript from CNN Presents: Stories of 9/11

Healing Pole Ceremony at the Pentagon

Naval Academy Alumni reflect on the five year anniversary

The following is a piece written by Bob's wife, Lisa, commenting on her special memories relating to the Navy class ring.

September 11th Reflections
My Mid
by Lisa T. Dolan

It was 1979—graduation week for my brother, then-Midshipman First Class Mark Tempestilli. He "set me up" with a few midshipmen for the week’s activities. I met my Mid on that hot, hazy Friday in May. The Plebes were making their way to the top of Herndon Monument. I can still remember the smell of the surrounding air—a strange combination of sweat and Crisco, with both ingredients dripping from the monument and the horde of eager Fourth Classmen. I had seen this struggle before, and I decided to cool off in Dahlgren Hall instead.

Midshipman Third Class Robert E. Dolan Jr. had the Dahlgren watch that day and was sitting in his whites behind the circular desk just at the top of the stairs. My brother introduced us. Mark had asked Bob to escort me to a dance on Sunday evening. Bob’s watch was ending, and he asked me to wait a few moments. My heart was fluttering like the wings of a hummingbird. I immediately fell for Bob’s beautiful blue eyes and his dimpled chin. Bob asked if I would join him at the concert that evening. I quickly accepted the invitation.

Commissioning Week ended too quickly. My first two dates with my future husband are etched in my memory along with the memories of more than 21 years together. I knew I was in love with Midshipman Robert E. Dolan, 20th Company, the minute he smiled at me. One full year later, I wore Bob’s USNA class ring around my neck at his Second Class Ring Dance. I already had been wearing his class crest, and now his ring hung around my neck on the traditional blue satin ribbon. I proudly dipped his ring in the water from the "Seven Seas," being careful not to stain my gown. We stood inside the giant replica of the ring and kissed. I didn’t know then how much that ring would come to mean to me.

We were married on a beautiful Saturday in April 1983. There were all the trappings of a Navy wedding—starched choker whites, shiny swords in an arch. Vows were taken and promises made; bands of gold exchanged on our special day. Thereafter, we moved many times like most military couples. In between deployments, we had two beautiful children, Rebecca and Beau. They were his pride and joy. They were like most Navy children—outgoing and resilient, proud of their country, and prouder of their dad. Bob was a brilliant naval officer with a solid career. And, for 21 years, he always wore his Academy class ring.

In the summer of 2000, Bob completed a successful tour as commanding officer of John Hancock (DD-981), homeported in Mayport, FL. Bob’s orders were taking us all back to the Washington, DC, area; him back to the Pentagon. He was selected for captain in June of 2001. We were anxiously awaiting the upcoming Major Command Board. Bob never had the opportunity to put on his captain’s shoulder boards. He never knew he had selected for major command.

Bob woke up a little late that morning. He showered then dressed in his khakis. I lay in bed and watched as he opened his night-stand drawer. Like he did every morning, he pulled out his wedding ring placing it on his left ring finger, and then he took out his Naval Academy ring and put it on in front of his wedding ring. Bob kissed me lightly on the lips. He said he’d see me later.

It was a gloriously sunny day in Metro DC as I began my drive to work. Bob and I spoke each morning via my cell phone after I dropped the kids at school. It was 8:55 a.m. when Bob called to tell me a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. I didn’t know what to say. He also told me he had no meetings scheduled that day. If I needed him, he would be in his office. He ended with, "Have a good day. I love you." That was the last time I spoke to my Mid. After learning a second plane hit the Twin Towers, I tried franticly to reach him at work, but couldn’t get through to his office. As I continued to try and call him, I learned a plane slammed into the Pentagon. A pain surged through my stomach like a knife. I didn’t know where his office was located. He and the rest of his department had just moved into a newly renovated section of the Pentagon. It seemed like an eternity before we received any official word.

On 16 September, an FBI agent contacted my brother. The agent told my brother he too was a 1989 graduate of the Naval Academy. He was part of the search and recovery efforts at the Pentagon. He had some news for us. He had seen something shiny among the ash and gravel and immediately recognized it as a USNA ring. He pulled the ring out of the debris and stuck it deep into his pocket, knowing later he would be able to track down the owner using the inscription inside the ring. He knew it belonged to a shipmate. He knew the tradition: Midshipmen should inscribe the inside of their ring with their name, because if lost, that is how the ring will find its way home. Bob’s ring did find its way home to me. My brother picked up the ring on Sunday, 17 September, weeks before Bob was officially declared dead. When the ring came home, I promptly put it on a gold chain that Bob had given me and placed it around my neck. I wear it proudly each day just like I did for the Ring Dance 21 years earlier.

Now, each night when I go to bed, I place it on his night-stand like Bob had always done. The ring means all the love and the memories of our happy union—and more: To me, his ring personifies Bob’s life.

I received no other personal effects of Bob’s. His remains were buried at sea in January. I never saw his wedding ring again even though he wore them on the same finger. But, thanks to the tradition of the Naval Academy ring and a patriotic grad named John Guandolo, Bob found his way home. Bob remains in part with me—through his USNA ’81 class ring.

yo ho ho!

happy birthday buddy

Today is William's fifth Birthday. He is so very excited about turning five. It's been a joy to watch him grow and mature this year. I truly feel like this has been a year where his personality and skills have multiplied. He's a lover of all things related to robots, pirates, space travel, and science. Outgoing is an understatement lately. I have to drag him from his social planning after school each day and it appears he is making friends on the playground with no problems. He's one of my favorite people to talk to right now and I love his questions about God and the universe.

Here is William at breakfast this morning:


William with Ms. Molly at school:


William and I made ice cream cone cupcakes on Wednesday to share with his class today. Here they are getting ready for snacktime:


William and Grace at the table. Grace thought she was such a big girl sitting with the kids. Will began to socialize and while he looked away Grace took his cupcake.


Here she is enjoying the stolen cupcake. William was so busy talking that he didn't ever notice.


She REALLY enjoyed that cupcake!

favorite things

Jordan had to do a writing assignment which started with a list of her favorite things. Those are:
Swimming
Mom and Dad
Books
Skating
Singing
Candy
The Beach
Movies
Popcorn
Spring
My Sister Grace
Spring Break
Light blue
Drawing
Smoothies
Birthdays

and from that list she had to choose her subject for the next descriptive list. She choose "My Sister Grace" as her topic. Here is the list:
Cute as a button
Sweet as candy
Loves to read
A good friend
Can walk
Can talk
Is two years old
Loves babydolls
Can listen
Has a short attention span
Loves piggy-back rides
Is fun to play with
Is smart
Can say whole sentences
Still sleeps in a crib
Likes Little Einsteins
Likes to watch Backyardigans
Loves her family
Loves to play in water
Likes to swing
Likes Disneyworld

creatures, checkups, and celebrations

First I should tell you that strange creatures in odd combinations are taking over our house. William has been letting Buzz and Woody ride the dinosaur and I've been enjoying the narration he gives while playing. It's pretty fun to watch. I snapped this picture the other day.



Grace went for her two year appointment last Thursday. I guess technically it is her 25 month appointment since her mother isn't the most organized. We had a rather peaceful appointment with all good news. The little girlie is now 29 lbs and 35 inches tall...putting her into the 75-80th percentile. Here is a photo of Grace with Dr. Nevius.



Finally I am in the midst of trying to plan William's 5th birthday party. He had a hard time deciding on a theme...you know, so many superheroes. Actually I was proud of him because his final two choices were a space theme or pirate theme. He finally decided on a pirate theme and I finished the invitations this weekend. I did the basic design and got it onto parchment and then Dave burned the edges to give them a older look. I thought they turned out very well for homemade. I really enjoy this part of the party planning process. It's a lot of fun bringing everything together. I've found some good websites with good party ideas and I plan to implement it all to keep those kids busy. I've placed the order to Oriental Trading Company for the basic necessities and pirate booty and now I have to get the other things organized for the party games. (I guess I should clean house too. We handed out a lot of the invitations at church yesterday and then took some around the neighborhood and William was so darn cute giving them to everyone. He was about to burst with excitement. Here's what they looked like (with personal info blurred):

waiting for jordan

Last week Grace waited for Jordan at the living room window. We normally pick up William at 2:15 and then beat it back home to meet Jordan by 2:35. Some days we get near the bus stop before she unloads, but last Friday we waited inside. Notice the bracelets -- oh so many bracelets -- on her upper arm? She insists on decking herself out each day with bracelets and purses. She wears it all like she's done it for years. It gets a smile out of everyone we pass on our daily errands. You know you've got quite the little personality with you when some big dude stops weightlifting long enough to remark how cute the kid is. Grace usually just waves back in a queenly way. Is it possible that Dave and I have produced the most outgoing child of our family?

Today also marks the end of our tomato crop for the year. I walked out to pick a tomato and found some big wicked looking red ants eating just the tomato I had in mind for our meal. I've really enjoyed having the convenience of a fruit bearing vines outside on the deck. I hate to see the season end, but when the critters start digging into the crop my limited gardening experience must bow to nature. The signal must go out to every animal and insect capable of feeding off the crop. Last year I had the plants in the ground near the fence. Around the end of July some really gross, huge caterpillar (fruitworm?) attacked 5 plants overnight and took my whole crop out. Leaves, tomatoes, and many of the vines. The only leaf left was the one the worm was hanging out under. I figure the ants are just the forerunner of one of those nasty worms, so tonight the vines made it to the yard bag in time for tomorrow's garbage run. At least we got an extra month out of the vines.

so true

Long ago you came to me, a miracle of firsts…
First smiles and teeth and baby steps, a sunbeam on the burst.
But one day you will move away and leave to me your past,
And I will be left thinking of a lifetime of your lasts.

The last time that I held a bottle to your baby lips…
Last time that I lifted you and held you on my hip…
Last time when you had a binky stuck inside your mouth…
The last time that you crawled across the floor of this old house.

Last time when you ran to me, still small enough to hold,
Last time when you said you’d marry me when you grew old.
Precious, simple moments and bright flashes from the past.
Would I have held you longer if I’d known they were the last?

Your last few hours of kindergarten, last days of first grade…
Last at bat in Little League, last colored paper made.
Last time that I tucked you in for one last midday nap…
Last time when you wore your beat-up Green Bay Packers cap.

The last dark night you slipped in bed and slept between us two,
When last I read to you of God or Horton Hears a Who!
Last that that I smelled your hair and prayed after your shower…
Last time that we held devotions in the evening hours.

Last piano lesson, and last soccer goal you kicked…
The last few weeks of middle school, last flowers that you picked.
Last time that you needed me for rides from here to there…
The last time that you spent the night with that old tattered bear.

Last time that I helped you with a math or spelling test,
Last time when I shouted that your room was still a mess.
Time and life moved quicker, taking pieces of your past.
Would I have stretched the moments if I’d known they were the last?

I watched you grow and never noticed seasons as they passed.
I wish I could’ve frozen time to hold on to your lasts.
For come tomorrow morning life will never be the same,
You’ll pledge forever to your girl and she will take your name.

And I will watch you, knowing God has blessed you with this day.
I never would have wanted, Son, to somehow make you stay.
They say a son’s a son until he takes for him a wife.
You’re grown-up now; it’s time to go and start your brand-new life.

One last hug, one last good-bye, one quick and hurried kiss…
One last time to understand just how much you’ll be missed.
I’ll watch you leave and think how quickly childhood sped past.
Would I have held on longer if I’d known it was your last?

---Karen Kingsbury

so far so good

I just finished getting the last of the morning crew off to work and school. Jordan usually heads for the bus around 7:20 am. William and Dave are just five minutes behind her getting on the road to the school dropoff. Everything has gone well this week. William is beaming when I pick him up each day and is eager to go to school each morning. I hope this continues. He must have a fantastic teacher. Each day he comes home with stories of what happened and I am overwhelmed with the amount of information Ms. Molly has already covered. On the first day William proudly got to be the flag holder for the Pledge of Allegiance. He was walking around spouting the plege all night using the word "invisible" instead of "indivisible". (Drove Jordan crazy.) Apparently they covered the letter "i" and did a science unit on rocks on the first day. On Wednesday the class got two frogs for pets, got to name them, and see tadpoles the teacher brought. I think we are off to a good start.

Jordan seems pleased with her classroom. It's a little hard to tell how the workload and daily schedule is going to go yet. The first week of school is always a little busy -- especially as they get older. We've only had reading as a homework assignment each night so I am bracing myself for the load to drop soon. I am anxious to hear the teacher's plans next Wednesday at the open house. She's a younger teacher (5 years teaching experience) and seems to have a lot of energy, but we don't really know her classroom methodology yet.

Grace and I have been trying to pick up the pieces each day around the house. We've played cook in her kitchen many times and she's enjoyed some quiet time with me alone. The little stinker is talking up a storm. We've been eating outside on the screened porch each day for lunch and she's loved this. Lately she has a habit of saying "huh?" to everything I say. I repeat my words and she'll say "huh?" again. Just as I am about to get frustrated with repeating the conversation she then rephrases the whole idea back to me and asks an intelligent question. I suppose we are in the language burst.

There are so many projects that got delayed this summer by all the camps, trips, and kid chaos. I'm digging into some of the big ones now and I think I have several weeks to get my house back into order. I'll get there eventually.

the school year begins

These pictures are from our Back to School morning. Jordan headed off on the bus to 4th grade and William began his first day of Pre-K. No tears and mostly smiles. It was a good morning. William commented on the way to school that he was very happy.

the sleepover

This is not the first sleepover Jordan has hosted, but somehow I sense that we are getting to the stage where this will become a more regular occurance. Girls love to talk for hours and what better opportunity than at a sleepover. Here is proof that we are hosting a successful sleepover:

- Three movies and counting: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Barbie Diaries, High School Musical and Nannie McPhee awaiting an early morning viewing

- Tomgotchi Networking

- Several raids by a little brother dying to see what it's like to hang out with Jordan's friends

- A little sister who wants to sit in the girls laps

- Bowls of ice cream with Magic Shell Chocolate topping and Peanut Butter/Chocolate chips

- Bowls of popcorn, Hot Dogs, and Peanut Butter Sandwiches

- A room made clean by the motivation of the party

- One round of a board game

- Lots of pillows, lovies, and fancy pajamas

- Sleeping bags everywhere

- An immenent pillow fight

And in other matters, we attended all the open houses today. Jordan's teacher is one of the 20 new, young teachers at her school so we are hoping and praying that this year goes well. We had promised William a chance to meet his teacher all this week. When we got to the Meet and Greet tonight for his K4 class we found out that the primary teacher had been held for jury duty this week on a court case. Poor William, he had looked forward to meeting her. The teacher's assistant was there and did a great job fielding the classroom of anxious parents. William seemed right at home in the classroom and went to building some kind of double decker lego airplane. He also inspected the computer situation and book titles on the shelf.

I was cracking up today. It is becoming more apprent that William knows much more than he wants to reveal. Lately he keeps making these slipups which show us that there is a lot going on in that mysterious boy mind. Today we saw an ambulance and he said, "Look there is a two on that firetruck -- no actually it is a twenty!" and he was right. Then he immediately played dumb when we responded to his discovery. ("Oh, is that a number or a letter on that truck Mom?") Two days ago he just read the word "puppy" on a Blues Clues special, but then feigned innocence when I praised him for it. LIttle stinker. Are boys just like that about learning?

summer winds to an end

It's been a whirlwind of a summer. Jordan is doing the last summer camp this week. It is a cheer camp at the local high school. It's always a fun time to get together with her friends before school starts. I'm not sure any of them have aspirations to be a cheerleader.

I can hardly believe that we are now in the last few days before school starts. Monday morning will be a busy and happy day. Somehow I always love the official "back to school" photo and the way it chronicles change from year to year. Until now it has only been Jordan in these photos. Now it'll be Jordan and William and I am thrilled to see this new milestone approaching. It's not that I want them in school to help me out during the day...though I suppose that is the obvious thought when you have multiple children...but more that I am excited to see them growing and learning. Don't worry, I won't have too much quiet time once they head off each morning. Grace has begun to chatter non-stop while playing.

Jordan is currently upstairs cleaning her room. We really need to get things organized before the school chaos begins. As motivation I have promised to let her have a sleepover on Thursday night with her two best friends (twin sisters) before school begins. We also have William's "meet and greet" that night so it should be some interesting kid juggling with 5 total kids in tow. On Friday Jordan has another birthday party/spend the night party to attend. Think she'll be tired from all that partying? I'm going to slip away with Dave for a fun date -- one I've planned especially to make Dave smile -- and my dear niece Laura is keeping William and Grace so we can escape. I'm sure Dave thinks he has it all figured out, but he doesn't. (Are you reading the blog dear?)

On Saturday I meet up with some friends at The Cheesecake Factory. I'm so excited to have a lunch out with some girlfriends. It's been a long time since I've gotten some time to be "just myself". I'm sure everyone can relate to that. ;-)

Finally, I must admit that I had a hard time turning the other cheek today at the YMCA gym. I was waiting patiently for the treadmill. I got my music ready and kept my eye on the people almost ready to get off. A group of women came into the cardio room at the back. Most of them loaded onto ellipse machines. One of my targeted treadmill users got off and a woman from that group RAN to the treadmill and hopped on as if no one else mattered. I was just a few feet away from the machine when this happened since I had already headed toward the open machine...and I had been waiting for almost 10 minutes. I know it's not right, but my blood just boiled at how inconsiderate the other woman was. It even affected my workout. Finally I was able to let it go, but still... I felt like George Costanza. What do you say to someone who is rude like that? "Excuse me you rudely took my slot on the treadmill AND I saw you running to beat me to the machine!" Argh!

daily adventures

I took William to the doctor today for something minor. I signed in at the window, made sure that William headed toward the "well" room and not the "sick" room, and then completed the insurance questions. Finally I turn around to walk into the waiting room -- which was thankfully empty with the exception of my crew -- and I saw this:



William had taken a bunch of chairs and quickly lined them up like a train. He then got Grace on board and they sat and read their chosen books and magazines on the train. It's one of those moments where you almost say, "What in the world are you thinking?!? Put that back!" but then you stop and think about your silly four year old boy and his world of imagination. I snapped a picture and let them set in the train until the nurse called our name and then I quickly put the chairs back into the place. Truly a moment where I realized that they will only be little for a moment. I need those reminders sometimes, don't you?

complaining again

CUSTOMER SERVICE: Mayfield Dairy Products. How may I help you?

ME: I've just opened a box of your Toffee Ice Cream Bars and found two of the popscicles unsealed.

CUSTOMER SERVICE: Oh my Mam. Let me get the date stamp information off of the box. Following that we will get your mailing address and send you a total replacement coupon.

ME: Sure, the stamp reads....and my address info is... AND by the way I have a second comment. When I went to dial your 1-800-MAYFIELD number I found a typo on the box. It is spelled 1-800-MAYFEILD in the contact information area. Oddly enough, it is spelled correctly everywhere else on the box.

CUSTOMER SERVICE: (exclaiming loudly) OH MY GOODNESS I HAVE TO TELL THE MARKETING MANAGER IMMEDIATELY! WE JUST HAD NEW BOXES PRINTED AND...OH MY GOODNESS! OH MY GOODNESS! Thank you for your call.

Ahhhh, nothing like using your proofreading skills to make a corporate emergency.

camp-o-rama baby

We survived our first day of camp-o-rama week here (August version) at the McD household. William is in a daycamp from 9:00 until 12:30 each day called "Camp Kool Kidz". It's held at our local Jewish center (ve-r-r-r-y nice facilities) and is based upon the "A Journey through Children's Literature." Today was Dr. Seuss, tomorrow is Eric Carle. The neat thing about the camp is that they make it a goal to integrate typical campers with special needs campers in an outdoor camp environment. Today's activities were based upon the book characters, but involved things like fishing, games, and swimming. They crammed a lot into a few hours. William seemed happy and tired when I picked him up. He was fresh out of the pool.

It's as if we are taking a religion tour of the neighborhood this week. Kind of funny for this simple Church of Christ girl. After dropping William off at the Jewish Community Center I then take Jordan to her music camp at St. Peter's and St. Paul's Episcopal Church nearby. It's a beautiful, almost old world European type church. The music teacher from Jordan's school is also the music director at the church. He is holding a camp this week from 11 -3 which includes lunch. I've written about him before and needless to say, Jordan is in good hands learning from his vast musical knowledge. This man knows how to make learning fun. I'm just thrilled to have these resources nearby. There are certain disadvantages to living in a busy suburb, but the learning advantages are so bountiful.

We finished some school shopping -- primarily supplies -- yesterday. I've decided to wait on most clothing purchases until we can evaluate Jordan's clothing more seriously. We are in the midst of digging out the "abyss that is her room" and hope to have a true feeling for what fits and needs updating soon. We purchased tennis shoes mid summer when she jumped to SIZE 3 shoes from a size 1 within a period of six weeks. These growth spurts are one of the main reasons I am afraid to purchase too much. It is warm in Georgia until at least mid-October and sometimes later. Shorts and basic t-shirts carry you though several weeks of school. Last year I got organized and purchased jeans and cold weather items ahead of time...but by late October she had gone through another spurt and nothing fit length or otherwise. William has grown three inches since April and the way he is eating I think he's still growing. My baby boy does not have any sign of a baby face anymore.

School starts on August 14th here for both Jordan and William. We find out who Jordan's teacher is tomorrow night when they post the class list on a wall at school at 8 pm at night. I have an parent meeting for William on the 3rd of August and then they both have "meet and greet" on the 10th. Jordan's is in the morning and William's is at night. I feel like saying we are "off to the races and let the craziness begin"...how is everyone else's schedule falling together?

a busy summer week

Am I the only one that thinks that life races to warp speed once you have children? I can hardly believe that another week has flown by. It feel like I say that every week though.

On Tuesday some old college friends came into town to visit the aquarium. Beth was my big sister in Delta Gamma and I always enjoy being around her. She is one person that can make me smile. She and her husband, Jim, live in Northwest Alabama and have two children. They brought their oldest child, James(age 6.5), on the trip. On Tuesday night they came out to the house and we went swimming with the kids. The original plans had included a visit to the Varsity downtown, but I think we had more fun playing with the kids and eating takeout. It was great to see the kids having so much fun together. Here they are at the end of the night:



No one had camps this week so we tried to get some projects done around the house. Unfortunately while we were cleaning out Jordan's room on Wednesday, Grace had a bookend fall on her head. This resulted in a huge lump on her head and a trip to the doctor's office. All was fine in the end, but it was an eventful day which resulted in no clean room. The bookend that hit Grace's head was a large resin Noah's Ark someone gave us when Jordan was a baby. Jordan had put it up on the third shelf thinking that would keep it from Grace's hands. Miss Grace is getting quite handy nowadays and got ahold of it anyway. I saw it happening, but couldn't get to her in time to prevent the injury. I'm thankful for her quick recovery.

We had just gotten home from the doctor's office and all the fiasco involved with that. Dave came home to check on Grace. He decided to get a coke out of the garage, walked out to find a teenager in our garage getting a drink from our fridge! Can you believe that? The kid said he was thirsty at the pool and just thought he'd get a coke. (Though we are "next door" to the pool it is a good acre away from our garage.) Dave made the kid shake with fear by the time he left the garage. We thought he might have been and immature 12 year old, but it turns out that he is a small 16 year old. He's from our neighborhood and appparently has been known to be in people's garages. I don't know the whole situation, but it appears that he is not exactly the kind of kid that fits in socially with other kids. (I don't mean "fits in" as a status statement -- more that he is unable to interact and deal with kids his age.) I'm soooo glad Dave was the one at home and even more glad that Jordan did not find him in our garage. I have been super-vigilant about our garage doors since this incident.

On Thursday morning we got a call with bad news. Dave's Uncle Bob in Pennsylvania died. This is one of the families that Dave loved to stay with during the summer visits to Pittsburgh. We tried to figure out how we could all go to the funeral, but that would have kept us away until late Tuesday night. Jordan and William both have camps next week so we decided it was best for me to stay home with the three kids. Dave went to Pennsylvania with his father, sister, and niece on Saturday. I'm glad he was able to go be with the family to say goodbye to a favorite Uncle. Here is a photo of Uncle Bob, Aunt Jean (Dave's Dad's sister), and their youngest son Bill at last year's family reunion.



I teased Dave all week with plans to go on a special (delayed) birthday date together. I should do more of this. Just the mere fact that he did not know where we were going, what we were doing, and why he needed to be home at a certain time has driven him crazy -- in a good way. I can't reveal the details here until we've had the date, but I think he'll enjoy it. It's nothing fancy - just a date with some of his favorite things. We changed our plans once the news of Uncle Bob's death occurred. It was more important to get Dave ready for the trip and let the kids have some Daddy time with him. I did think to put a note into his suitcase before he left to continue the mental torture. I suppose I should wrestle up a babysitter again soon, huh?

Today I had one of the most delightful events occur. I had a peaceful, enjoyable meal with my three children at a sit-down restaurant after church. Seems simple right? Well, it's a little daunting to take all three into a restaurant by yourself. It's not that they are bad, but inevitably someone will have a bathroom visit to make or other emergency. To be honest, I often choose going through a drive through and bringing food home to eating at a restaurant when Dave is gone on a trip. (We do eat regular food at home, too!) William is constantly asking me why we can't go in so today I told him that this was a special test of how we could manage to behave when out with Mommy. The little stinker took it all to heart and rose to the occassion. Grace was charming and ate her food calmly. I got to eat my meal in peace. There was no bickering. Good grief, I think I was bursting with pride as we left Carrabba's Italian Grill. A good friend of mine tells her three, "Our goal when we leave this store/restaurant/event is to not have everyone know your name." Laugh if you want, but certain parts of motherhood are like survival training. I suddenly felt like I had changed from survival mode to "thrilled to be a mom" mode today. I suppose that could rate as my mundane magic for the week. A glimmer of hope on the horizon. ;-)

birthday weekend conversation

"Grace, how old are you?" We asked tonight at dinner.

"TWO!" She says enthusiastically.

Hmmm, perhaps we should work on the execution.

(We had a good day celebrating at the aquarium on Friday.)

Grace turns 2!

Today is a special day for my last baby. Sweet Grace turns two today. I am completely enamoured with her developing personality right now. Although I'm tired at the end of each day with a toddler in the household, I cannot tell you the number of smiles and laughs she gives me. We are headed to the Georgia Aquarium to celebrate with a family outing.

Yesterday I was out pruning some dead blooms off our yard flowers. Jordan and William had long deserted me for the air conditioning, but Grace was still there asking to help. I would hand her each discarded piece and she would then carry them to the yard bag -- with two purses, a hairbow, and MY dress sandals on her feet pushing a play mower. She was absolutely determined to be there as my shadow and I couldn't help but think what a memory that was to behold.


Here she is modeling a new hairstyle.


And when she got bored during timeout she decided to stand on her head in the playpen. It's hard not to laugh at a sight like this. Notice that her arm is actually out of the armhole meaning that she began to attempt the "lets get naked and shock Mom" routine, but then abandoned that for a more exciting show.


At Hilton Head on the beach playground.

So, Happy Birthday to my girlie who has learned all the tricks from her siblings, takes big girl showers without fear, loves to wear purses and jewelry, and has a passion for ice cream. Thank you ALL for the part you played in her life. I could have never made it through the past two years without your prayers and encouragement.

I still get emotional when I think about how close we came to the edge of death. Emotional in a good way. I know that this little spunky girl is meant to do big things in her life. I know that we are blessed to have her in our family. People go years searching for the meaning of life. I had my third child and discovered that my life already had meaning. Grace came to this world with meaning. What more of a blessing can you ask for than that?

six little cousins

A photo of all six cousins -- ranging in age from 3 months to 9 years.

One of the reasons we went to Orlando was that I found villas through our timeshare group that would allow us to have extra space for my whole family. We got two villas with the hopes that we could spend some time together on vacation. Last year we went to Tybee Island together and it worked out great. There was no beach in our resort, but plenty of other things to do together. My sister now has three children and though it is a busy time the kids all love to play together. There are moments where we have to take turns refereeing, but generally they look forward to playing hard together.


Alana and Grace (only 5 weeks apart agewise) in the first few moments after we all arrived.


Our villas had screened porches on them. We hung out there to watch the birds (cranes and other waterbirds) graze around the property. Here is Jordan and Grace admiring Baby Lydia in Granddaddy's arms. Dave and Russ (the two son in laws) loved the fact that they had multiple golf courses to escape. Each of our villas backed up onto golf courses.


The three older cousins enjoy Spy Kids 3-D with their stylish glasses.


Baby Lydia hanging out at the pool with all of us. That is her Daddy, Russ, making her smile.


We played putt-putt golf together on Thursday night. There were several hole in ones -- Drake made one with his cast, Aunt Julie made two (show-off!), and Alana and Grace made one each. Grace had no idea what she had done.


Here are the three older cousins -- William (4.5), Jordan (9), and Drake (6.5) -- at one of the resort pools. Poor Drake had broken his arm just a few weeks before our trip and didn't get to participate in the waterslides and other wet play. He was a great sport about the whole thing. It's a good thing there were game arcades nearby while we were all splashing.

to infinity and beyond

We are back from vacation. As the saying goes...we've had all the magic we can stand. Dave and I had a great time with the kids in Orlando. It was such a good family time together and we marvelled at how much older and more capable Jordan and William had become. Grace was a real trooper and proved that she is fearless more than once on a ride. The above photo is William hugging Buzz Lightyear in Tomorrowland. Both Jordan and William collected character signatures and photos throughout the park and we all had fun looking for the different characters. Buzz has to be William's all time favorite so this was a cool moment for him.




Today is a recovery day for us. We drove back through the day yesterday and arrived home at 12:30 am last night. Needless to say we are tired. When we woke up William said we had to get the house ready. Dave and I asked what we needed to get ready for....William sincerely thought all the Disney characters were coming to visit him today since he had invited each and every one of them along the way!

More photos and trip details tomorrow.

happy independence week

We've been celebrating Independence Day all weekend. Dave has been off for the long weekend and we've enjoyed some family time together doing things like the pool, waterslides, and playing golf. Don't think we've forgotten the real meaning behind the holiday -- there is no amount of fun that could make me forget what it was like to be a military wife waiting for my husband to come home safely from a deployment. Nothing brought that home more than when we cut on the television tonight for a bit of news and found out that N. Korea is up to its old tricks again. That's not a good kind of deja vu. Dave dealt with this threat situation a lot when we lived in Hawaii. I can't imagine too many military people -- even those not deployed -- got to enjoy BBQ today.

I tried a new Alton Brown recipe today for ribs. They turned out very nice. Here is the link if you are interested:

Who Loves Ya Baby-Back Recipe

It takes a lot of spices to make a dry rub, but that is one way to get excellent flavor from meat. The recipe got a thumbs up from William and Jordan (my kid who is not a big meat eater) loved it. After scurrying from the kitchen we ran to the car and raced downtown to Marietta for the fireworks. We didn't get to sit in our usual spot, but we had an excellent view of the fireworks and departed from the traffic snarl much quicker. We may have found a better spot.



Jordan has been taking a golf clinic this week at a local course. Dave has taken her on Monday and Tuesday. He snapped these photos of her. Tomorrow I will be back in carpool mode. She's really enjoyed the lessons and has taken good care of her new clubs and equipment. I think a water bottle may be the most important equipment she's carried considering the heat.

i survived vbs

Our week was filled with VBS activities. I suppose I could add "and lived to tell about it" to the title above since I am able to blog about it. This is the first year I have taught at Piedmont Road. It seems that I have either been pregnant or nursing a little one everytime VBS arrived. This year I co-taught the 2 and 3 year olds for the theme, King of Kings. It was a busy class. I normally don't like to teach the same class that my child is attending. (It always seems that my child misbehaves ten times worse when I am in the classroom trying to give the other kids attention.) Grace did end up being in this class since she is almost 2. She was the youngest in the classroom at 23 months, but she was able to hang in there for most of the fun.

We invited many people, but most had preplanned activities or vacations. The kids were disappointed to not have any friends to bring to VBS. On Tuesday William exclaimed in the car on the way to VBS, "HEY WAIT! We forgot to bring a friend today!" When I tried to explain it again he just got distraught. So distraught that he remained sad for an hour into the morning. According to his teachers (One of which was his beloved babysitter) he just sat sadly alone and didn't want to have fun at first. If you know William you know that isn't like him at all. Finally he warmed up. On Wednesday we were able to bring William's friend Jackson from the neighborhood and William ran happily into the auditorium excaliming, "I have a friend with me today! Here is my friend Jackson! Isn't he great?"

Here are some photos:

William and his friend Jackson during the auditorium gathering. Jackson is in the blue stripes to the right of William.


William got called upon to make the grouchy face for the Booster Booster song.


Grace sits in a big girl chair during class.


Jackson ate lunch and played with us after VBS. William was so excited to have his friend with him.